beyond the eye; lower jaw not strongly projecting; teeth in narrow bands, the depressible teeth of the inner series very long and slender, those of the lower jaw and front of upper especially enlarged, longer than the small, subequal canines; preopercle convex, very weakly serrate, its posterior angle obliquely subtruncate, without salient angle or distinct emargination; opercle with three distinct spines; scales rather large, and mostly strongly ctenoid; dorsal fin single, its spines rather slender and pungent; anal fin rounded; pectorals long; caudal fin very convex.
Bodianus fulvus. The Nigger-fish. Body oblong, moderately compressed; head 2-2/3; depth 3; eye 5; scales 9-100-33; D. IX, 14 to 16; A. III, 8 or 9; head rather pointed, with curved profile; mouth moderate, the maxillary reaching beyond the eye; lower jaw strongly projecting; teeth in narrow bands, rather large, the depressible teeth rather small, canines small, subequal; preopercle with weak serrations, its outline convex, with a shallow emargination; opercle with three distinct spines; dorsal fin single, with slender and pungent spines; scales rather large, mostly strongly ctenoid; caudal fin truncate, its angles slightly rounded; pectorals long; ventrals short.
Diplectrum formosum. The Sand-fish. Body elongate, the profile strongly arched above the eyes; head 3; depth 3-1/2; eye 5; scales 9-85-22; mouth large, maxillary reaching middle of eye; lower jaw slightly projecting; canine teeth small; preopercle finely serrate at upper margin; preopercle with two clusters of divergent spines; opercular flap short and sharp; top of cranium smooth and very convex; 11 rows of scales on cheeks; fins, except caudal, scaleless; 15 scales before dorsal; dorsal fin single, with low spines, the first three graduated; caudal deeply lunate, the upper lobe the longest, sometimes ending in a long filament.
THE GAG
(Mycteroperca microlepis)
The gag is one of the series of fishes known as groupers in Florida, of which there are quite a number. It was first described by Goode and Bean, in 1879, from West Florida; they named it microlepis, or "small scale," as its scales are of less size than the other species of the same genus. It is known only from the South Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico, from North Carolina south to Pensacola.
It has a rather long, shapely body, with pointed head and an evenly curved profile. Its mouth is large, with projecting lower jaw. Both jaws are armed with narrow bands of sharp teeth and two canines, the upper ones directed forward. The predominating hue of the gag is brownish or brownish gray, with lighter sides, in deep-water specimens; those of shallow water, especially in grassy situations, are greenish or olivaceous, mottled with a darker shade, and more or less clouded. Very small and indistinct dusky spots sometimes cover the entire body, and a faint mustache is usually present. The dorsal fin is olive; the top of the soft dorsal fin rays is darker, with white edge; the caudal fin is bluish black, with white edge. It is a voracious fish, feeding on small fishes and crustaceans, and grows to a large size; twenty or thirty, or even fifty, pounds in weight is not uncommon, though usually taken of from six to ten pounds. It resorts, when large, to the banks and rocky reefs in deep water. Those of less size frequent the inshore waters. It is a fine food-fish, and a very game one on the rod.
A light striped-bass rod, or the natural bamboo chum rod, with good multiplying reel and fifty yards of braided linen line, size E, and Sproat or O'Shaughnessy hooks, Nos. 3-0 or 4-0, on gimp snells, with a brass box-swivel for connecting snell and line, and a sinker adapted to the strength of the tide, make up the tackle for the gag. A large landing-net or a gaff-hook should not be forgotten.
Rod fishing is done in comparatively deep water on the rocky reefs or shelly banks along the keys, from an anchored boat. Any natural bait, as a small fish, crab, crawfish, or conch, will answer, though a small fish, as the mullet, sardine, or anchovy, is the best. When of large size the gag is a very gamy fish, and must be handled very carefully to preserve one's tackle intact.
It is taken more frequently by trolling with a strong hand-line from a sailing yacht, in the same way as trolling for bluefish. A small silvery fish is the best lure, though a strong spinner or a shell or block-tin squid answers well. Even a piece of bacon-rind cut in the semblance of a fish proves very attractive, in the manner commonly used by the fishermen of Key West in trolling for the kingfish.
The largest groupers can be taken on rocky bottom in the deep holes about the inlets. On the southeast coast, Indian River Inlet, under the mangroves, and Jupiter Inlet, both afford good grouper fishing. Farther south, at Hillsboro and New River inlets, and in the deep holes about the passes between the Florida Keys, from Cape Florida to Key West, groupers are more or less abundant. The first gag I ever caught was in the winter of 1877, while trolling off Cape Florida; it was a big one, too, weighing about fifty pounds. "What is it?" asked a Kentucky boy who was with me. I was compelled to look it up in my books before replying that I thought it was a "scamp," as it agreed pretty well with the description of that grouper, though I was not fully satisfied that my identification was correct, and less so, when in about an hour we caught a real scamp. This was some two years before the gag was described as a new species by Drs. Goode and Bean, from Pensacola. As I had no means of preserving the fish, it was baked for our dinner, and proved to be very good indeed.